The Saline County Sheriff’s Office urges citizens to beware of a jail scam.

According to the agency, a 51-year-old female who resides just outside of Saline County was contacted by phone regarding a relative who was currently in custody at the Saline County Jail. The male caller told the female that her relative could bond out but would need an ankle bracelet and to start the process she would need to send the caller $650. The caller said they would stay on the phone with her until this matter was resolved.

The female drove to Salina, still speaking with the male caller by phone, where she withdrew $650 cash from her bank.  She then went to a Salina pharmacy / convenience store and presented them with two bar codes the male caller had sent to her. The clerk scanned the barcodes and sent the $650 to the caller.

Once done, the male caller told the female to take the receipt from the Salina pharmacy / convenience store and present it to deputies at the jail and her relative would be released. When she arrived at the jail she was told by staff this was a scam and the relative would not be released.

The Saline County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that we will not call them and ask for money, gift cards, property, bank notes, or debit cards on behalf of any inmate. We urge the public to be alert and not fall for this scam.